Camp near City Point, Va.

Wednesday July 13^th/64

 

Dear Mother

                        The month of July is passing very rapidly away into the ocean of the past and still thank God I am spared with excellent health. I earnestly hope this may find you all enjoying the same rich blessing and indeed what can equal such a great blessing. God is good let us ever praise His Holy Name.

 

            We still lay here enjoying ourselves while our Division (or rather the entire Corps, for the other two Divisions of our Corps embarked last Sunday) are driving the invaders from My Maryland. and sad news reached us last night of the old Fourteenth. they fought like tigers going into the fight with 360 men and coming out with only half the number. I suppose we / will get the particulars in todays paper.

 

            I have just returned from City Point where I went after rations and now I will try to finish my letter. it is very warm and dry. we had a little rain night before last and last night, but it did not lay the dust. I hope we will get a shower today. it looks dark in the north west. all is quiet this morning before Petersburg. it was also very quiet yesterday. old Lee has been trying hard to draw our Army from this point but he cannot succeed. Petersburg must become ours.

 

            I had a good swim in the Appomattox River last night. its a nice place to bathe good sandy bottom. Who wouldn't be a soldier. I dont know as I can write any more that will be interresting for we dont hear anything nor see anything / that is in any way interresting except it is our rations We are always glad to see our rations

 

            We drew hams yesterday and new potatoes, so you see we are living as good as any, and better than many. I went to the Sanitary Commission begging this morning. they gave me a pair of drawers & a handkerchief, white handkerchief at that, with a nice stamp on one corner of it.

 

               Sanitary

            Commission                give my love to John and remember me to any enquiring friends. I dont get any letters for our mail all stops at Maryland and they dont send the it on to us. so we will not get any until the Corps returns or we go on there.

           

I must now close may God bless you all.

                                               

Your loving Son

Albert.

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